


count to a hundred and ten

by zozo



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Episode Tag, F/F, Gen, Wakes & Funerals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 02:50:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18129965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zozo/pseuds/zozo
Summary: The crew holds a wake. An episode tag for 2x09, “Project Daedalus.”





	count to a hundred and ten

“I’m sorry,” says Cornwell finally. “About Airiam. She seemed like a fine officer.”

They’re sitting quietly on the couches in Pike’s ready room. Having lost its agent in Airiam, Control has retreated even further into its fortress. The mines are no longer seeking out Discovery, and station power seems to have shut back off as soon as Burnham and Nhan beamed back.

“She was,” says Pike. “She had a brilliant mind. And she was, obviously, a hero. I’m going to recommend her for a posthumous Medal of Valor.” He sighs. “I’ll try to get the paperwork in before the court-martial.”

Cornwell sighs too. “The good news is, once we get back in contact with Command—” The door to Pike’s ready room chimes.

“Excuse me,” he says to her. Then, louder for the computer, “come in.”

Commander Burnham steps through the door.

“You’d better be on your way _from_ sickbay, Commander,” says Pike. “I can’t keep ordering you—”

“Dr. Pollard just cleared me, sir,” says Burnham in a rough voice. “I’m here...” She stops and clears her throat, blinks slowly, and resumes. “I came on behalf of the crew to request permission to hold a wake for Commander Airiam in the mess hall tonight.”

Pike considers a moment. “I think that would be appropriate. We’re having a service in the shuttlebay tomorrow, of course, but I think something less formal tonight would be a valuable outlet for the crew.” He looks over at Cornwell, who nods in agreement.

“She was obviously well-loved. Her friends should have a chance to celebrate her. And that’s my opinion as both a Starfleet admiral and a psychologist.”

Pike turns back to Burnham. “I’ll stay out of the crew’s way. Remember her well.”

Burnham nods. “Thank you, sir. Ma’am.” She turns and walks out, jaw clenched tight.

Cornwell sighs again as the doors close. “What a clusterfuck this turned into.”

Pike quirks an eyebrow, then stands up and walks over to the liquor cabinet. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

* * *

Tilly is sitting on her bed when Michael enters their quarters, tapping away thoughtfully on a PADD. She looks up at Michael, eyes puffy and red. “What did the captain say?”

“He said yes.”

“Good.” Tilly holds up the PADD. “I’m making a p-playlist of Airiam’s favourite songs. For tonight.”

Michael just nods, and sits down next to Tilly on the bed, taking her hand. “How are you?”

Tilly shakes her head sharply. “No way. You were over there, Michael. You almost got _killed_. I had to w—I had to watch it, and-and that was awful, but you’re the one who—who had to...” She sniffs violently, once, then swallows hard and juts her chin out. “So no. How are _you_ , Michael?”

Michael’s eyes close, and her lips begin to quiver. She buries her face in Tilly’s shoulder and sobs. Tilly wraps her arms around Michael and pulls her close, tears of her own quietly falling, and they sit like that for a long time.

* * *

`//TXT// **DetmerK** @OwosekunJ>> Hey Jo`  
`//TXT// **DetmerK** @OwosekunJ>> Tilly says there’s a wake for A in the mess hall tonight`  
`//TXT// **DetmerK** @OwosekunJ>> 20:00 hours. I’ll pick you up at 19:55, ok?`  
`//TXT// **OwosekunJ** @DetmerK>> Make it 19:45, I’m going to need at least 10 minutes of cuddling before we go out in public`  
`//TXT// **DetmerK** @OwosekunJ>> When you put it that way... see you at 19:30?`  
`//TXT// **OwosekunJ** @DetmerK>> Perfect`  
`//TXT// **OwosekunJ** @DetmerK>> xoxo`  
`//TXT// **DetmerK** @OwosekunJ>> xoxo`

* * *

Saru comes by early, mindful of the effect a senior officer can have on junior officers’ social functions, and at Tilly’s urging, gives the first toast.

“I met Airiam when I transferred onto Discovery. I didn’t know her as long or as well as some of you. But even if I’d only met her today, I would know that she was a Starfleet officer of the highest calibre, a valued colleague and a beloved friend. We are poorer without her, but richer for having known her.” He raises his glass. “To Lieutenant Commander Airiam. May her memory be a blessing.”

A hushed conference between Detmer, Tilly, and Owosekun determines that Joann is most likely to get through a toast without completely breaking down, and she’s nudged gently up to the front.

“Airiam was always there for me. For us. It didn’t matter if it was a work problem, or... even if it was something personal, she always wanted to help. When my mother died, Airiam helped me organize all her letters. I had thousands, all piled up in one computer directory, going back to the Academy. Airiam spent a whole weekend in my quarters helping me sort through them all. It would have been so much harder alone. To Airiam. I’m going to miss you, girl.”

She raises her glass in a toast, then all but runs back into Keyla’s arms, weeping.

Rhys gets up and talks about their early-morning sparring sessions. Bryce has stories about how good Airiam was with his young siblings when they had shore leave on Earth a couple of years ago. Detmer tells a string of Airiam’s favourite jokes, until she can’t tell whether she’s laughing or crying. Rebecca Nilsson talks at length about how gentle and generous Airiam was, until Tilly’s pretty sure they hooked up at some point (and how _dare_ Airiam not tell her!).

Tilly runs into Linus by the food dispensers, nursing a glass of something vividly pink. She pats him on the arm. “How’s it going, buddy?”

He shrugs. “It’s going. This is a human funeral custom, right?”

“Yeah, from parts of Earth. It’s called a ‘wake.’”

“I like it. Have you ever been to a Saurian funeral?” Tilly shakes her head. “They’re super depressing. This is...” He waves a hand, encompassing the whole room. “It’s sad, but there’s joy, too. Could use more of that on Sauria, at least in my family.”

And he’s right. There’s Airiam’s favourite music, and a reasonable amount of drinking—it’s always embarrassing going to sickbay for a hangover cure the next day—and a fairly equal proportion of laughter to tears.

It feels like a party Airiam would have loved.

**Author's Note:**

> RIP Airiam. You were the cutest, smartest ~~robot~~ cybernetically augmented lady and I liked you a lot.
> 
> Title from [“Back and Forth”](https://youtube.com/watch?v=RLUXXuSzXXM) by The Dismemberment Plan.
> 
> I'm probably still crying on Tumblr at [discotreque](https://discotreque.tumblr.com).


End file.
